i realized that in all of my blogs, i’m sharing about my world race experience…daily ins and outs, ministry, spiritual journey, mosquitoes….everything. but i never introduced you to my team. the people that i do life with every single day! so, here it is.
this year i am on a team of all women.
and we’re all very different. like, in every way. outsides and insides.
but we're similar where it counts.
we're all women of grace. and women who love gelato.
there are certain things i love and admire about each of these women. they all teach me so much just by being here and being who they are.
sometimes the whole culture of world race can be sort of awkward. i mean, it’s just the nature of world race. you’re placed in a group of people you don’t know, and then sent out into the world, into new and sometimes uncomfortable environments. at any given moment, there’s generally just a ton going on in a language you don't know. then at the end of each day we have to have “team time” and process our day, our thoughts, everything. and that can be kinda weird to do with people you’ve just met.
but it turns out it’s a lot easier when you’re surrounded by women of such grace. in the face of our differences, we’ve found a common bond in our desire for bringing God's Kingdom in authentic community. we’ve found unity in seeking who He is and who He made us to be. it’s beautiful. and it’s still sometimes awkward. but mostly, it’s just really awesome.
so, may i introduce…team luminous.
she’s a little teeny tiny thing. you know how they say big things come in small packages? well that’s katie. she’s the smallest package with the biggest presence. (see what i did there?) she’s lives life from a place of gentle, tender, compassionate grace. she knows and loves her Bible. she’s an incredible teacher. she brings infinite comfort in her words and smile. she teaches me what it means to love in gentleness.
this girl is in it for the adventure. did you know she’s been to every continent except australia!? yes, that means she’s been to antarctica! she’s crazy!…in the best way you can be. when there’s a task set before her, she works to see it through to the end. she’s a true friend and willing to help in any situation. she’s willing to take on anything God sets before her, even if she’s never done it before. oh, and her laugh? contagious joy. i can’t not laugh if she’s laughing. she teaches me to be a cannonballer, not a toe dipper.
the depths of love and insight that this girl lives in is astonishing. she’s incredibly perceptive of the world around her. most of all, what God can teach her through it. she’s a natural leader and constantly pushing us to dig deeper. not to mention, she’s super fun! she teaches me that God is always trying to speak to us, we just have to pay attention.
this woman is steady in faith and authentic joy. she believes God for who He says He is and lives her life this way. she sees every day as an adventure waiting to happen. she loves to run and jump and dance and sing. if there’s a tree, she’ll climb it. her love for all living things is beautiful and endearing. she teaches me to fiercely seek the adventure of life that God’s placed before us.
she knows that God has made each of us so very unique, and she lives in that uniqueness. she’s hilarious and fun and quirky and playful and weird. i love it! she brings a freedom to be who you are. she’s a warrior, a woman of action. she knows that life’s journey can be average or extraordinary and she seeks the extraordinary. she teaches me to be myself and to boldly ask God for the unexpected.
a woman after God’s own heart. she walks in a place of quiet humility. she leads by example. she cultivates the presence of God in a beautiful way. she’s willing to help at any moment, whether it’s convenient or not. she always gives me hugs when i need them most. she teaches me to put people first, and love them well.
[our favorite group activity – eating gelato]
basically, i’m learning so much from all of these women who have become such dear, sweet friends. we’re all incredibly different in every way you can be, but we’re unified in love. we laugh and cry and talk and play and eat. all in love. all in grace.
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each otherand forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms,hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
